Have a few thousand photos sitting on your phone and/or computer? The problem with the ease of mobile photography is just this… photos sitting on your device.

This past Christmas season, Rule29 helped launch a new collaborative project called InstaThis, a new streamlined service that connects directly to your Instagram photos and creates stunning prints on wood or acrylic. Now, instead of merely viewing your prints digitally, you can arrange them in your home or office to match your style — or give them as gifts to family, friends, and business colleagues.

Who is behind it? We are! (in part) InstaThis is a joint venture between Rule29 and Birddog, Inc – both who are committed to exploring creative solutions and opportunities for emerging technologies.

How does it work? Using a unique mix of web-to-print technology and handmade craftsmanship, InstaThis creates one-of-a-kind wall art in a variety of sizes at a reasonable cost with significant discounts for ordering multiple prints (up to 40%). If you choose wood, the natural wood grains come through the image and the colors pop off the birch. Choose acrylic, and the vibrancy of the colors combine with the polished finish to create a truly stunning piece.

Do I have to use Instagram to order a print? As of this past week, no! We’ve added a “upload-your-own” feature enabling any user to upload the photo of your choosing.

Be sure and check it out and give your space(s) some new love.

InstaThis.com

Music and film both have the power to shift a room. And maybe more appropriately, they have the ability to shift us.

Since 1987, when I heard U2′s Joshua Tree album for the first time (okay and a little Beastie Boy’s License to Ill), I’ve been making “mix-tapes.” And for the last 9-ish years, myself – along with a few others – have been sharing our favorite musical finds from the year in a bit more organized (and electronic) fashion. This isn’t a definitive “best of”… simply personal favorites. This year, there is 29  songs for your enjoyment… (how appropriate). And 10 movies worthy of noting.

Here’s how it works. You download. You tell us your own favorites. There are two separate playlists… The first is both more eclectic, experimental, upbeat and more fitting with the windows down. The second is a bit more thoughtful, reflective, and well suited over coffee and a book. Playlists are ready for drag-n-drop into iTunes playlist(s). Don’t miss the liner notes and don’t forget to tell us your own favs!

Download here.

In the time that you read this sentence, numerous little “moments” will have occurred. You’ve chosen to read the words across a screen. Someone around you has chosen something else. A few seconds later, you’ll move on to another moment in time. The craziest part all?

8 billion people just experienced the same thing. The same moment that is.

But what have you allowed to occupy these moments? What do they represent? What story do they tell?

As many of you have figured out, we have recently been exploring the nature of wonder. And it is with the following piece (produced by the creative team at Everynone) that we realize that this mysterious subject isn’t bound by time. In fact, by stripping the “other” moments away we realize that the mundane has more intrigue and meaning than you would expect.

Take the next 4 minutes and experience the beauty (and sound) of humanity in its abbreviates states. And maybe more importantly, take the moments after to see a little differently.

via rednow

You may have figured out already, we like film festivals. Having attended Sundance the last 5 out of 6 years, it felt only necessary to check out North America’s oldest film festival this year – the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), a place where… (according to TIFF promoters) “OMG meets WTF”, where “Indie meets Epic”, and where “Seeing meets Believing.” It’s the latter that caught my attention and resonated with our own pursuits of seeing differently.

Here are some highlights:

Thieves. Lights go down. Film starts. Sub-titles role. Audience begins laughing. And I quickly realize I’m left out of some big joke. It then became clear. I was the minority in the room. Being that Toronto is considered one of the most diverse cities in the world and is home to a large Asian and Korean population, it quickly became obvious that out of the 800-or-so attendees, I was one of what felt like 10 English speaking ticket holders.

But honestly, this made the experience. What was for all intended purposes Korea’s version of Oceans 11, it was captivating to understand and experience what shapes Korean humor and intrigue. Worthy of a Netflix stream. Read the rest of the entry >